NOTEBOOK : PADRES UPDATE : Hammaker Is Next to Start in Team’s Rotation-Go-Round

Atlee Hammaker, who a few months wondered not only whether he still fit in the Padres plans but if he would pitch again, learned Wednesday that he’ll be the team’s starting pitcher today against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Hammaker, who had spent the entire season on the disabled list trying to recover from a broken middle finger on his left hand, becomes the 12th pitcher to start for the Padres this season. They had only 14 different pitchers start for them the past two seasons combined.

“It’s exciting to get the opportunity to start again,” said Hammaker, who was winless with a 6.46 ERA in three rehabilitative starts in Las Vegas. “I’m grateful the Padres gave me this chance. Now, I just hope to make the most out of it.”

Hammaker broke his finger in mid-February in a weightlifting accident. He was lying on a bench, raising dumbbells to his chest, when he laid down the weights and smashed his finger.

“I really didn’t know it’d put me that far back,” Hammaker said. “In my mind, I was telling myself that I’d be back in March. I never thought it’d take this long. But once I got my finger healed, I had to get my arm in shape.

“Hopefully, the worst is over.”

Hammaker will take Adam Peterson’s spot in the rotation. Peterson missed his last start in the rotation with a strained right shoulder, but a magnetic resonsance imaging test revealed Wednesday that there were no torn ligaments.

“Man, I’m grateful for that,” Peterson said, “especially the way my luck’s been going.”

Peterson was mugged outside the team hotel Monday night in Pittsburgh. He was out to get some cigarettes when he was shoved to the ground, robbed of $70 and suffered lacerations to his face and right hand.

Although the Padres refuse to confirm their selections, their top three picks in the June Free Agent Draft were right-handed pitchers. They did not draft a position player until selecting third baseman Antone Williamson of Torrance H.S., with their fourth-round pick, 81st overall.

Besides drafting Joey Hamilton of Georgia Southern with their first pick, the Padres selected Greg Anthony, 19, of Tovares High School in St. Petersburg with their sandwich pick between the first and second rounds; and John Barnes, 18, of Lancaster, S.C., High School in with their second-round pick.

Anthony, considered among the top 10 high school pitchers in the country while also being an All-State basketball selection, was 8-1 with a 0.61 ERA in nine starts. Anthony, 6-feet-3, 196 pounds, yielded 17 hits in 56 innings, striking out 96.

Barnes, 6-1, 175 pounds, was 8-2 with a 1.00 ERA in 10 games. He allowed 16 hits in 42 innnings, striking out 56.

The Padres still are attempting to sign their top three picks.

Padre bullpen stopper Craig Lefferts, who has been successful in his past three save opportunities since angrily shaving off his mustache in frustration, received a strange phone call on the last day of the Padres’ trip.

The caller asked for Tom Reich, the agent who represents Ed Whitson. Lefferts said he had the wrong room, paused and then recognized the voice.

It was Jeffrey Leonard, his former teammate from San Francisco, whom he had not spoken with his since 1989.

“Can you believe it?” Lefferts said. “It’s the first time I’ve ever gotten a wrong number from someone I knew.”

The Padres, who are monitoring the progress of triple-A outfielder Jim Vatcher, discovered Tuesday that Vatcher has another hidden talent. It was in the 12th inning Tuesday night when the Las Vegas Stars ran out of pitching against Tucson, and Manager Jim Riggleman needed a volunteer. Vatcher never had pitched in his four-year professional career, but considering he once was a pitcher in high school, he decided to give it a try. So he pitched three scoreless innings for the 10-9 victory, allowing just one hit, and striking out three. He ended the game, in fact, by striking out Terry McGriff, the cousin of first baseman Fred McGriff. . . . Whitson spent Wednesday being further diagnosed by doctors for his ailing left elbow, and missed the game. Whitson previously was diagnosed with tendinitis, but he wanted to seek a second opinion. . . . Reliever Pat Clements, who’s coming off arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder, said that he suffered a slight setback while pitching off the mound. “The way it looks now,” Clements said, “I’ll be grateful if I make it back by the All-Star break.”

Scorecard

SECOND INNING

Cardinals--Guerrero led off and reached first on infield single to third. Zeile struck out. Hudler doubled to left. Pagnozzi lined to second. Oquendo was intentionally walked, loading the bases. Olivares singled to center, Guerrero and Hudler scoring, Oquendo stopping at second. Gilkey lined to right. Two runs, three hits, two left. Cardinals 2, Padres 0.

Padres--McGriff led off and singled to right. Teufel singled to center, McGriff stopping at second. Santiago singled to right, McGriff scoring, Teufel taking third. Clark grounded to shortstop, Santiago forced at second, Teufel scoring. Coolbaugh grounded into double play to shortstop. Two runs, three hits. Cardinals 2, Padres 2.

EIGHTH INNING

Padres--Coolbaugh led off and singled to center. Mota pinch-ran for Coolbaugh. Howard popped to pitcher. Roberts singled to right, Mota taking third. Fernandez singled to right, Mota scoring, Roberts stopping at second. Agosto relieved Carpenter. Gwynn singled to left, Roberts scoring, Fernandez stopping at second. Agosto threw wild pitch, Fernandez taking third, Gwynn taking second. McGriff was intentionally walked, loading the baes. Teufel singled to center, Fernandez and Gwynn scoring, McGriff stopping at second. Grater relieved Agosto. Santiago singled to right, McGriff scoring, Teufel stopping at second. Clark grounded to shortstop, Santiago forced at second. Mota grounded to first. Five runs, six hits, two left. Padres 7, Cardinals 2.